


Lead Me Home

by distinctive_pineapples



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: (It'll make sense in a bit), Alternate Universe, Canon Universe, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-23
Updated: 2017-07-23
Packaged: 2018-12-05 22:30:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,479
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11587494
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/distinctive_pineapples/pseuds/distinctive_pineapples
Summary: The universes may change, but there's always a familiar face to help Shiro move forward. [Takes place post-season 2 or outside of canon continuity]My contribution to Shallurazine's "Stars Aligned" issue 2.





	Lead Me Home

**Author's Note:**

> When I posted "Hit It Off" (and before I had "Like bringing color to children" Part 1 ready to go), I mentioned that I had another completed Shallura work that would be posted in the future. This is that piece.
> 
> This was the first time I ever wrote Shallura (and the piece that brought me back to fic-writing after a five-year absence), so it was an honor to have it featured in "Stars Aligned" with so many other beautiful creations. (Many, many thanks to Jules and Cat for putting together such an amazing project!) I wasn't sure how the concept/characterizations/writing style of this piece would work, since it was all so new for me, but this piece holds a special place in my heart.
> 
> So, without further ado, enjoy!

The latest Allura is a princess like her counterpart, though _this_ Altea is alive and whole. Shiro can personally attest to this, assuming the soil and vegetation currently filling his mouth are indeed of Altean origin.

She has a knee to his back and a firm grip on his left arm as she erupts in a string of Altean phrases, presumably demanding that Shiro identify himself. He can’t blame her for this — anyone would be on guard if a man appeared out of thin air and disrupted one’s afternoon stroll. Without a proper translator, though, the most Shiro can do is remain silent until he’s dragged to the Castle of Lions, so he listens as this Princess Allura lambastes him.

(Even with such violently enunciated words, Allura’s voice lulls Shiro into serenity.)

Soon enough, the two of them are trudging their way towards the castle, which gleams brilliantly as if aware of its key role in Shiro’s mission. They keep moving forward, each step burdened with significance.

One step closer to communicating with this universe’s Allura and voicing his plight.

One step closer to enlisting the Alteans’ help, because if they’re gifted enough to power wormholes with their own quintessence and build the lions of Voltron, then surely they can aid an unlucky guy lost in the wrong universe.

One step closer to getting _home_ , back to the Castle of Lions Shiro knows; to reuniting with the Black Lion and the rest of the Voltron crew and his… _his universe’s_ Princess Allura.

This Allura must have recognized his lack of reaction to her tirade as a translation issue, and allows just enough time for the castle’s translation program to acknowledge Shiro before she singlehandedly slams him back against the wall.

(Painful? _Yes_. But it’s a familiar gesture in a strange world — such an _Allura_ thing to do — so he’ll take it.)

“Now, I know you can understand me, so you have no reason to refuse to tell me who you are and how you got here, or why you have the _gall_ to wear the armor of a Voltron paladin!” The princess’s glare holds steady, much like the weight of her right hand on Shiro’s chest, as she waits for a response.

Shiro takes a breath and struggles to gather his thoughts. There has to be a more concise explanation of his predicament than “I’m the Black Paladin from an alternate universe where Zarkon became a galactic overlord and destroyed your home, and I somehow got blasted with enough quintessence to send me dimension-hopping. Please help me get back home.”

If there is, it doesn’t come to Shiro before the princess of still-living Altea lifts her free hand to… point a finger threateningly at him? Caress his cheek? Sic the mice on him? It’s unclear, but the movement is enough to elicit a reaction from Shiro. He hastily raises his hand to meet hers…

* * *

…and lands spread-eagled on the floor of a very familiar hangar, if the mechanical beast towering above him is any indication.

“Black?” Shiro murmurs, still caught in a daze — _is he back?_ He grazes their connection in his mind as he sits up, only to receive an echo of confusion in return.

It’s as if the Black Lion recognizes that Shiro is the Black Paladin, just not _her_ paladin.

A roar rings through the hangar, and Shiro instinctively springs into a defensive stance before realizing that the chances of survival against a behemoth like Black are, well, _nil_. Good thing the sound was not from the lion, but rather the monochromatic flash twirling a staff directly into Shiro’s face.

Enter alternate Allura, stage right.

She’s different than the Altean princesses that came before, in the respect that her cheekbones lack the familiar pink arrows and her ears are more rounded — more _human_. Rather than soft pastel blue or commanding pink, her outfit’s accent color is a bold black, which adorns the chestplate of armor not too dissimilar from Shiro’s. Still, with the white hair cascading from a high ponytail and the fierce blue eyes, she is unmistakably _Allura_.

(Of course, the force of impact from staff meeting forehead was a pretty big hint too. Shiro’s ears are still ringing.)

Black Paladin Allura has her staff poised for another strike if needed, but she lowers it the moment Shiro stops massaging his face and removes his hand. He looks up in curiosity to find a knowing smile and a gentle gaze.

“First time reality-jumping, I take it?” she asks, crisscrossing her legs as she takes a seat across from Shiro. “You seemed confused to see me as I am, and I can’t say I’ve seen a Takashi who looks quite like you.”

Dumbfounded, Shiro isn’t sure where to start. “You’ve done this before?”

“Well, not willingly, and I’m sure you could say the same. Let me guess, it involved a flight in the Black Lion and an unhealthy dose of quintessence?” She smiles again upon seeing Shiro’s stunned nod. “Same thing happened to me not too long ago. I bounced through more realities than I’d care to say before finding the right one, but I still made it home.”

Shiro blanches at that — _just how many universes lie ahead?_ — but recovers enough to ask the important questions. “So, how does this all work? I don’t have much to go on, but the one thing I’ve found is…”

“Me,” Allura finishes for him. “I’m guessing there’s a Princess Allura back in your world. The way I understand it, being struck with quintessence while in the Black Lion caused your life force to mingle with its own. The reaction slingshotted you to your first alternate reality, but the thing that keeps you moving from universe to universe, that thread gradually bringing you back home, is the quintessence of your world’s Altean royalty — also tied to the Black Lion. At least, that’s how it worked for me.”

The clues — her reaction upon seeing him, the fact that she isn’t Altean — finally click into place in Shiro’s mind, and he arches an eyebrow. “So… Prince Takashi, huh? It has a nice ring to it.”

“Well, when you get back to your reality, perhaps you can do something about that,” Allura retorts, before her eyes widen and a hint of pink creeps into her cheeks.

(Shiro isn’t the same shade as Keith’s favorite jacket. _Nope_ , not at all.)

Allura lets out a small cough before she pushes herself upright. “The best advice I can give you is to keep moving. It’s going to be a… strange road ahead, but if you forge on, you’ll be back where you need to be in no time.” She offers Shiro her hand with a sly glint in her eye. “You just need the right touch.”

He accepts, and suddenly…

* * *

 

…time and countless realities have passed. At this point, it would be easy to be methodical with each jump, to just recognize each universe’s Allura and take her hand to bounce to the next. Yet even in his desire to get home — to get back to _his_ Allura — Shiro can’t help but take a little time to get to know all the women who aren’t but so clearly _are_ Allura.

(It was more difficult to do so with Allura the Actual Lion Goddess, who spent a good while trying to smite him before allowing him to move on.)

Each interaction makes Shiro a little homesick, but also reminds him that across these infinite realities, some form of Allura has been there to help him move forward, even if by a single step.

Now, Shiro sets down his cup of tea and glances across the table. The current universe’s Allura is an artist, specializing in fantastical scenes that are purely dreamlike to someone as earthbound as she. Once Shiro appeared and they settled in at her favorite coffee shop, she shared a few works from her sketchbook with him. Shiro couldn’t help but grin at the familiar multicolored lions frolicking across the pages.

They both stand to leave, and Shiro extends his arm for a farewell handshake. Allura smiles and takes hold…

…and it’s night in the Castle of Lions, with the soft glow of the stars and a solitary screen as the only light on the bridge. She stands at the controls with her back to him, and Shiro notes that at least she’s in her nightgown at this hour.

It takes just one step to reach her side and take her hand.

“Whatever it is, I’m sure it can wait until morning.”

When the warmth of her hand disappears this time, it’s immediately replaced by her entire being as they embrace, an action that’s been a long time — too long — coming. They’ll have plenty of time in the morning to talk; for now, Shiro lets himself get lost in one last universe.

( _He’s home._ )

 

**Author's Note:**

> Occasionally I think of expanding on this piece with the Alt-luras' POVs, but who knows. I think this stands alone pretty well.
> 
> I'm working on a couple other Shallura things, but in the meantime, you can catch me on Tumblr at obscure-sentimentalist.


End file.
